The invention relates generally to industrial automation and control systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to techniques for providing an integral cable guide for electronic modules used in industrial automation and control systems.
Industrial automation and control systems are known and are in use for controlling factory automation and the like. Such systems include various components or electronic modules such as programmable logic controllers, semiconductor power electronic circuits, power supplies, motor starters, relays, and so forth that are utilized to monitor and control a process/system. For example, in a typical industrial control system, a programmable logic controller examines a series of inputs reflecting the status of a controlled process and changes outputs affecting control of the controlled process. The programmable logic controller typically receives data from various system components (e.g., sensors) and provides commands to other system components (e.g., actuators).
As indicated above, some electronic modules employed in industrial automation and control systems operate to transfer input and output signals to and from various components of the system. To facilitate such transfer of data, traditional electronic modules typically utilize removable terminal blocks (RTBs). An RTB typically includes a series of terminals arranged on a body that includes a connector for communicatively coupling with a functional component (e.g., a printed circuit board) of an electronic module. The connector transfers data between the terminals and the functional component, thus, providing data to the functional component from the wiring coupled with the terminals. The terminals of the RTB enable a technician to quickly couple and decouple wiring for data transmission to and from the electronic module. Indeed, RTBs are usually used to connect wiring among various devices within a control system. For example, an RTB may couple a programmable logic controller and/or an input/output (I/O) module with various sensors and actuators such that data can be efficiently accumulated and instructions can be efficiently issued via wiring coupled to the terminals of the RTB. Each RTB may have several cables of varying sizes that may be utilized for different devices within the control system.
Depending on the number of terminals on a particular RTB, a large number of wires may be coupled to the RTB. It is now recognized that this accumulation of wiring coupled to the RTB can be an inconvenience to a user. For example, it is now recognized that the wiring can become unwieldy and/or impede the view of certain aspects of the associated electronic module.